1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to damage control systems for electronic devices, such as laptop computers, and more particularly to recording an environmental condition history to determine whether diagnostic programs should evaluate the electronic device.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well established that excessive shock impacts on electronic devices, such as magnetic disk files, can result in serious damage to the device. For example, impacts to magnetic disk files, may damage the recording surface, slider or the spindle or actuator bearing. To prevent excessive impacts careful handling of the electronic device or its components is required. Additionally, the components within electronic devices can be protected by cushioning material and other shock absorbing devices, such as compliant lossy equipment mounts.
Surprising results can be obtained if one measures the acceleration experienced by an electronic device during what is perceived to be normal handling. For example, peak g values can easily exceed several thousand g during metal to metal contacts. Even a metal to wood or plastic contact can produce g values in excess one thousand g. This is to be contrasted with a common limit specification of 200 g. It is evident that very careful handling is necessary to avoid premature damage.
Conventional systems are primarily directed to avoiding or absorbing impact shocks to electronic devices. In addition, there are conventional systems that a user may implement to diagnose the condition of an electronic device. For example, common diagnostic programs are available to examine the disk surfaces of a direct access storage device (DASD), such as a hard drive. However, there is a need to include environmental input information regarding when diagnostic procedures should be performed on various electronic devices.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a structure and method for a system that produces a history of shock events on a laptop and combines this history with a thermal surface scan to establish the potential probability of failure for the hard disk. Damaged sectors can be automatically spared. If the laptop is connected to a network, data is uploaded into an appropriate database and the proper preventive maintenance can be performed automatically.
More specifically, the invention includes a method and structure for preventing damage to an electronic device. The structure includes a sensor outputting signals indicating environmental conditions experienced by the electronic device, a non-volatile memory storing ones of the signals that exceed a limit, and an output device outputting signals stored in the non-volatile memory, thereby providing a history of the environmental conditions experienced by the electronic device that exceed the limit.
The structure may also include an audible output device for generating a sound when the non-volatile memory detects a signal that exceeds the limit. Also, the signals indicate when the environmental conditions occurred and the magnitude of the environmental conditions.
In one embodiment, the non-volatile memory initiates a diagnostic program after the electronic device experiences acceleration that exceeds the limit, wherein the diagnostic program evaluates whether the acceleration has damaged the electronic device.
The structure may also include a peak detection unit storing a largest one of the signals. The non-volatile memory periodically samples the peak detection unit. The invention may further include a connection to a network, where the signals stored in the non-volatile memory are transmitted to the network.
Additionally, the sensor and the non-volatile memory operate when the electronic device is off and when the electronic device is on, while the output device operates only when the electronic device is on.
The inventive method includes detecting environmental conditions experienced by the electronic device, generating signals indicating the environmental conditions experienced by the electronic device, storing ones of the signals that exceed a limit, and outputting signals stored in the non-volatile memory, thereby providing a history of the environmental conditions experienced by the electronic device that exceed the limit.
In one embodiment, the invention can include generating a sound when the non-volatile memory detects a signal that exceeds the limit. The signals indicate when the environmental conditions occurred and a magnitude of the environmental conditions.
The method can also initiate a diagnostic program after the electronic device experiences acceleration that exceeds the limit, wherein the diagnostic program evaluates whether the acceleration has damaged the electronic device.
Also the invention can periodically store the largest signal, and periodically sample and reset the largest signal. Additionally, the invention may transmit the signals in the non-volatile memory to an external network.